RENTAL ECONOMICS

My friend John Huie, in his "Ruminations on Rental Registration" (12/10/2003), writes that "In ACC, students aren't supposed to live in 'single-family' neighborhoods, not only because they're noisy, according to Commissioner John Barrow, but because they make homes unaffordable to families by driving up the costs of the limited supply available."

John is correct that I maintain that there is more than just a simple noise or nuisance issue here - there's also an economic issue. Typical families - who have no more than two adult breadwinners - simply cannot compete against non-families that can pool four or five incomes to rent or buy the same property. I believe that this is a rational basis (among others) for limiting to two the number of unrelated adults who can live in the same house in a single family zone.

But John is incorrect in saying that I believe that students aren't "supposed" to live in single family neighborhoods, no matter how noisy they are (or aren't). Our ordinance does not prohibit students from living in our single family neighborhoods. It merely limits the number of unrelated adults who live together in single family neighborhoods to the same number of related adults who head up the families that these neighborhoods are designed for. Unrelated adults are allowed to live together, and so are students, and so are renters. Just in numbers that are more like single family homes than duplexes or triplexes.

Everyone knows that duplexes are not the same as single family homes, and everyone knows that duplex subdivisions are not the same as single family neighborhoods. If you've lived next to a duplex, you know the difference, and if you've lived in a duplex subdivision you know the difference.

We have zoning districts where duplexes are allowed as a matter of right, and there are plenty of neighborhoods where that's all you will find. We also have zoning districts where no new duplexes can be built, but any that are already there can continue to be used. They're called "non-conforming uses." We allow them to continue to be used in every single family neighborhood in the county. The purpose of the definition is to prevent folks from converting even more single family homes into the functional equivalent of a duplex in neighborhoods where we've limited them to the ones that are already there.

John Barrow
Athens

GOOD COP/BAD COP

I just read the letter from the "under 30" Athens cop. Maybe this particular cop does not see how fellow officers treat people in this town. At the last home game, my friend was attacked and thrown to the ground by "an officer who was only the messenger" in front of numerous bystanders in front of the stadium for passing a UGA ID through the fence. My friend was bleeding and had bruises and cuts on his face and shoulder. He was not being a belligerent drunk nor was he breaking a rule that called for such brutality. If any random person was stopped in Athens on the street, I am sure that they would have one or two stories of unnecessary harsh treatment from the local police. I have personally experienced crueler than normal treatment for officers and seen way too many friends harassed by the ACCPD and UGA cops. I am appreciative that police maintain order and fight bad guys, but they sure like to get themselves off on going above and beyond the call of duty and acting like assholes (not all of them). So the reason why some treat the cops the way they do in this town is because they are thinking of all the times that the cops have mistreated them and their friends (I know I am). It is the typical story for many police in this town: the testosterone aggressive and power hungry individuals who join the force so they can wail on citizens (or their girlfriends/wives). We see the story play out over and over in our society and Athens is no exception. But I will call on my fellow Athenians and spread the word: "Don't get upset, or name call, or get pissy with our oh so helpful officers, but start reporting their behavior and whip out the video camera."

Anne
Athens

PROTEST WISELY

The First Amendment grants the people of the U.S. the freedom of speech and the right to assemble, not to make public nuisances of themselves. Critical Mass, FTAA and IMF protests do more to damage the "cause" than anything I can think of. Now, I am all for civil disobedience, but there is a time and a place. If you really want to make a difference, be conscious of how you spend your money. Support your local food co-op. Buy from local and organic farmers. Ride the bus, bike, or walk to work. Don't vote for war-loving presidents. And know this: The NUMBER ONE WORLD WIDE POLLUTER is the United States Department of Defense which generates 750,000 TONS of toxic waste material annually, more than the five largest chemical companies in the U.S. COMBINED. This pollution occurs globally as the U.S. maintains bases in dozens of countries and takes it upon themselves to use the planet as their personal garbage can. Not only is the military emitting highly toxic materials directly into the air and water, it's poisoning the land of nearby communities resulting in increased rates of cancer, kidney disease, increasing birth defects, low birth weight, and miscarriage.

So please, if you're upset with the way things are, don't waste your time congregating in public, disrupting traffic (and annoying potential sympathizers). Otherwise you might become intimately acquainted with rubber-bullets, tasers, tear gas or police batons. We need the activists healthy and out of jail, spending, voting and living wisely.

Chad Cooper
Athens

NO GRIT

Today I noticed a sign that all but blocked the parking lot for the Bottleworks, located off of Meigs Street behind the Grit. It read, "Parking for Bottleworks only. We tow!" Then, in an angry hand, the words "No Grit!"

This sign is a perfect example of what's wrong with this city, this county, this state, and this country.

Listen up, you MORONS responsible for that sign. Can't you see that the Grit BRINGS you business by simply BEING a thriving business that attracts a steady flow of regular customers practically to YOUR doorstep.

And what about the stray meat-eating customer that sometimes wanders into the Grit? The people that run the Grit can say, "Sure, there's a great Italian place right here at the Bottleworks." OR they can say, "Sure, there's a great Italian restaurant DOWNTOWN."

What do YOU think they'll say?

I know I won't be going to the Bottleworks any time soon. I can't support blatant corporate greed. Happy Holidays, you morons.

Name withheld
Athens